IELTS Vocabulary D (Part 3)

"D"

descendant n. One who is descended lineally from another, as a child, grandchild, etc.descendent adj. Proceeding downward.descent n. The act of moving or going downward.descry v. To discern.desert v. To abandon without regard to the welfare of the abandoneddesiccant n. Any remedy which, when applied externally, dries up or absorbs moisture, as that of wounds.designate v. To select or appoint, as by authority.desist v. To cease from action.desistance n. Cessation.despair n. Utter hopelessness and despondency.desperado n. One without regard for law or life.desperate adj. Resorted to in a last extremity, or as if prompted by utter despair.despicable adj. Contemptible.despite prep. In spite of.despond v. To lose spirit, courage, or hope.despondent adj. Disheartened.despot n. An absolute and irresponsible monarch.despotism n. Any severe and strict rule in which the judgment of the governed has little or no part.destitute adj. Poverty-stricken.desultory adj. Not connected with what precedes.deter v. To frighten away.deteriorate v. To grow worse.determinate adj. Definitely limited or fixed.determination n. The act of deciding.deterrent adj. Hindering from action through fear.detest v. To dislike or hate with intensity.detract v. To take away in such manner as to lessen value or estimation.detriment n. Something that causes damage, depreciation, or loss.detrude v. To push down forcibly.deviate v. To take a different course.devilry n. Malicious mischief.deviltry n. Wanton and malicious mischief.devious adj. Out of the common or regular track.devise v. To invent.devout adj. Religious.dexterity n. Readiness, precision, efficiency, and ease in any physical activity or in any mechanical work.diabolic adj. Characteristic of the devil.diacritical adj. Marking a difference.diagnose v. To distinguish, as a disease, by its characteristic phenomena.diagnosis n. Determination of the distinctive nature of a disease.dialect n. Forms of speech collectively that are peculiar to the people of a particular district.dialectician n. A logician.dialogue n. A formal conversation in which two or more take part.diaphanous adj. Transparent.diatomic adj. Containing only two atoms.diatribe n. A bitter or malicious criticism.dictum n. A positive utterance.didactic adj. Pertaining to teaching.difference n. Dissimilarity in any respect.differentia n. Any essential characteristic of a species by reason of which it differs from other species.differential adj. Distinctive.differentiate v. To acquire a distinct and separate character.diffidence n. Self-distrust.diffident adj. Affected or possessed with self-distrust.diffusible adj. Spreading rapidly through the system and acting quickly.diffusion n. Dispersion.dignitary n. One who holds high rank.digraph n. A union of two characters representing a single sound.digress v. To turn aside from the main subject and for a time dwell on some incidental matter.dilapidated pa. Fallen into decay or partial ruin.dilate v. To enlarge in all directions.dilatory adj. Tending to cause delay.dilemma n. A situation in which a choice between opposing modes of conduct is necessary.dilettante n. A superficial amateur.diligence n. Careful and persevering effort to accomplish what is undertaken.dilute v. To make more fluid or less concentrated by admixture with something.diminution n. Reduction.dimly adv. Obscurely.